Egbira Youth Movement President Ibrahim Obaraze Mohammed dismisses alleged endorsement of Nasarawa lawmaker, insists private political visits cannot magically become an organisational decision.

By Sadiq Musa, Lafia

The President of the Egbira Youth Movement (EYM) in Nasarawa State, Comr. Ibrahim Obaraze Mohammed, has dismissed claims that the organisation endorsed Hon. Ibrahim Abdullahi Sa’ad for a second term in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, warning that belonging to the Egbira community does not automatically make anyone the movement’s authorised political spokesperson.

In a clarification that puts the brakes on the alleged endorsement narrative, Obaraze said EYM had neither endorsed Sa’ad nor declared support for any candidate ahead of the 2027 elections.

The controversy followed a Facebook post by Muhammad Sani Abacha, whom the EYM president described as a non-member, claiming that the movement had endorsed Sa’ad, who represents the Umaisha/Ugya State Constituency.

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Apparently, in the strange mathematics of political endorsements, a visit by some individuals can become an organisation-wide declaration before the organisation itself gets the memo.

But EYM is having none of it.

Obaraze described the development as embarrassing, insisting that the movement was not part of the group that visited the lawmaker in Lafia and had not authorised anyone to announce an endorsement in its name.

Community Membership Is Not a Political Power of Attorney

In a statement issued on behalf of the movement, Obaraze explained that the individuals associated with the reported visit might belong to the wider Egbira community, but that did not make them members of the EYM Executive Council or authorised representatives of the organisation.

In other words, being Egbira may establish community identity, but it does not come with a complimentary certificate to speak for every Egbira organisation.

The president stressed that personal political preferences must remain personal unless the movement’s leadership formally approves a collective position.

“The leadership of Egbira Youth Movement wishes to respectfully clarify that EYM has not endorsed any political candidate, nor has the organisation declared support for any political ambition,” the statement said.

The clarification raises a fundamental question about political communication: when does a personal visit stop being a private political engagement and suddenly acquire the weight of an organisation-wide endorsement?

According to EYM, the answer is simple: not without authorisation from the appropriate leadership.

EYM Rejects ‘Endorsement by Association’

The movement warned against presenting the political activities of individuals as official decisions, particularly when such claims are circulated on social media without confirmation from its leadership.

For the avoidance of doubt, EYM maintained that no candidate had been adopted and no declaration had been made in support of Sa’ad’s second-term ambition.

The organisation’s position effectively challenges the reported endorsement narrative and distances its institutional identity from the political activities of the individuals involved.

After all, a photograph can show who attended a meeting, but it cannot independently establish that an entire organisation has endorsed a candidate. That requires an authorised decision, not political imagination dressed up as an official announcement.

‘We Are Not a Political Support Group’

Obaraze further emphasised that Egbira Youth Movement was established as a socio-cultural organisation, not as a political support group operating under the banner of a community movement.

According to him, EYM’s core objectives include promoting peace, unity, development, progress and the social well-being of Egbira youths across political divides.

The organisation recognises that its members have constitutional rights to support candidates of their choice. However, it insists that those individual choices must not be packaged as the collective position of EYM without the necessary approval.

“We respect the political rights and personal choices of every individual. However, we kindly appeal to everyone to ensure that information shared publicly does not wrongly associate EYM with political endorsements that have not been officially approved by its leadership,” the statement added.

The message appears straightforward: individuals are free to campaign, visit politicians, take photographs and pursue their preferred political interests. What they cannot automatically do is turn those activities into an official endorsement by an organisation whose leadership says it was not involved.

2027 Politics: Personal Loyalty or Organisational Mandate?

With political calculations gathering momentum ahead of the 2027 electoral cycle, the distinction between personal political loyalty and institutional endorsement is becoming increasingly important.

For politicians, endorsements can provide useful publicity and help create an impression of grassroots support. For organisations, however, having their names attached to political declarations they did not approve can create confusion, internal tension and questions about their neutrality.

EYM’s clarification therefore serves as a warning to political actors and social media commentators against assuming that a few individuals can speak for an entire movement.

The organisation urged members of the Egbira community and the general public to verify information before sharing claims involving its name. It also called for responsible public communication and renewed commitment to peaceful coexistence and community development.

The statement was signed by Comr. Ibrahim Obaraze Mohammed, President of the Egbira Youth Movement in Nasarawa State.

The Final Word: An Endorsement Needs More Than a Facebook Post

For now, EYM’s official position is that it has not endorsed Sa’ad for a second term or declared support for any candidate for the 2027 political cycle.

The clarification does not stop individual Egbira youths from supporting Sa’ad or any other politician. It simply draws a line between personal political preference and an officially authorised organisational decision.

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And that is where the sarcasm practically writes itself: if every political visit automatically becomes an endorsement by an entire organisation, perhaps the next photograph taken at a roadside meeting will be announced as a national convention.

Until EYM’s authorised leadership says otherwise, the alleged endorsement remains disputed, and the movement insists that nobody should mistake individual political activity for its collective decision.